Memory card for an expresscard slot

ABSTRACT

A memory card is disclosed resembling a CompactFlash card, but which is compatible with an ExpressCard slot.

PRIORITY DATA

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/771,756 filed Jun. 29, 2007, entitled “Memory Card For An ExpressCardSlot”, which application is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

Embodiments of the present invention relate in general to a memory cardwhich may be used in an ExpressCard slot.

2. Description of the Related Art

The strong growth in demand for portable consumer electronics is drivingthe need for high-capacity storage devices. Non-volatile semiconductormemory devices, such as flash memory storage cards, are becoming widelyused to meet the ever-growing demands on digital information storage andexchange. Their portability, versatility and rugged design, along withtheir high reliability and large storage capacity, have made such memorydevices ideal for use in a wide variety of electronic devices, includingfor example digital cameras, digital music players, video game consoles,PDAs and cellular telephones.

One popular type of flash memory device is the CompactFlash® memory cardmanufactured by SanDisk Corporation, Milpitas, Calif. While used in avariety of different applications, the CompactFlash memory card has beenadopted as the de facto standard in the professional and consumerimaging markets. While there are several reasons why this is so,including the large storage capacity and low cost per megabyte, the formfactor of the CompactFlash memory card has proven to be a significantcontributing factor. At 43 mm by 36 mm, the card is large enough foreasy manipulation, yet small enough for convenient transport and use incurrent high resolution digital cameras. Professionals and consumers arecomfortable with and have grown accustomed to this size memory card.

While the demand for the look and feel of the CompactFlash card islikely to continue, CompactFlash cards use a parallel bus interfacewhich is becoming outdated. In particular, serial bus interfaces havebeen developed that provide faster data transfer rates and betterperformance. Accordingly, professionals and consumers are looking for amemory card having the look and feel of a CompactFlash, but with thespeed and performance of a serial bus interface.

A few years ago, a coalition of member companies of the PersonalComputer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) developed theExpressCard® peripheral as a new standard for PC card technology. Anexample of an ExpressCard memory card 20 is shown in prior art FIG. 1.The card 20 fits within an ExpressCard slot 22 in a host device 24,which may be a notebook computer, desktop computer, or various othercomputing devices. In contrast to older PC cards having a parallel businterface, ExpressCard technology uses a PCI-Express (PCIe) serial businterface. The PCIe interface has a simple connector and eliminates theolder PC card controller by using direct connections to PCIe and USBports in the host device. As indicated above, the PCIe interfaceprovides faster transfer rates, better performance and lower cost forthe card slot implementations in host systems as compared to oldergeneration PC cards.

Given these advantages, there are compelling technology and businessreasons why the popularity of the ExpressCard standard will continue togrow. However, standard ExpressCards come in two sizes: theExpressCard/34 is 75 mm long by 34 mm wide, and the ExpressCard/54 is 75mm long by 54 mm wide. Both of these are significantly larger than theCompactFlash card. As such, consumers and professionals who have grownaccustomed to the CompactFlash form factor may be slow to adopt theExpressCard standard. It would therefore be advantageous to provide anadapter which allows a memory card having the size, look and feel of theCompactFlash card to be compatible with the ExpressCard standard.

It is known to provide conventional ejector mechanisms within anExpressCard slot such as slot 22 of FIG. 1. An older type of ejectormechanism commonly employed with legacy PCMCIA cards and still in useincludes an ejector button beside the slot. In order to eject a cardseated within a slot, a user depresses the ejector button, whichactuates a cantilever that in turn exerts an ejection force on a frontsurface of the card. (As used herein, the “front” of the card/adapterrefers to the portion of the card/adapter inserted first into the slotand located at the rear of the slot when inserted; the “back” of thecard/adapter refers to a portion of the card/adapter located at thefront opening of the slot when the card/adapter is inserted).

Another type of ejector mechanism commonly used in ExpressCard slots isthe so-called “push-push” ejector mechanism. While variousconfigurations are known, in general, a spring loaded, translating pinor tab is provided at the rear and to the side of the slot. When a cardis initially inserted, a front portion of the card engages the tab andtranslates the tab rearward against the force of the spring. At somepoint during the rearward motion of the tab, an actuator locks the tabin place against the force of the spring, and a frictional force of thecard edges within the slot holds the card in the slot. In order torelease the card, a force is again exerted by a user against a rear ofthe card, protruding slightly from the slot. This action againtranslates the tab rearward and moves the actuator from the lockingposition to an ejection position where the tab is released. Thereafter,the spring-driven tab ejects the card from the slot, overcoming thefrictional force maintaining the card within the slot. Further detailsrelating to an example of a push-push ejector mechanism for use in amemory card slot are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,077,671 to Su et al.,entitled, “Memory Card Connector with a Push-Push Mechanism.”

The functions of ejector mechanisms may be incompatible with an adapterfor use in a memory card slot. In particular, where an adapter is usedin a memory card slot, pushing an ejector button or a memory card withinthe slot may eject not only the memory card but the adapter as well.This may be inconvenient, in as much as a user may wish an adapter toremain within the card slot while memory cards are inserted into andremoved from the slot.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention, roughly described, relate to amemory card resembling a CompactFlash card, but which is compatible withan ExpressCard slot. The memory card in embodiments may be 45 mm long,34 mm wide and 4 mm thick. In combination with an adapter assembly, thememory card may work within the ExpressCard slot as would otherconventional ExpressCard memory cards. However, when not in use with theadapter assembly, the memory card has dimensions which are approximatelythe same as a conventional CompactFlash card. Thus, users accustomed tothe size, look and feel of a conventional CompactFlash card may stilluse a card of approximately that size in their digital cameras, videocameras or other devices, while at the same time availing themselves ofthe advantages that the ExpressCard interface has to offer.

The adapter assembly enables the memory card having a smaller lengththan a standard ExpressCard to be compatible with the standardExpressCard slot. The adapter assembly includes an adapter, a tonguerigidly mounted to the adapter, and a finger grip affixed to the tongue.The adapter may have a length of 30 mm, a width of 34 mm and a height of5 mm, and thus fits snugly within a back end of an ExpressCard slot. Theadapter includes a first interface for mating with the ExpressCard slotinterface connector, and a second interface for mating with an interfaceof a memory card affixed to the adapter assembly.

The adapter also includes side rails serving multiple functions. Theside rails engage within channels in the ExpressCard slot to ensure asturdy, precise feel upon insertion and removal of the adapter. The siderails also provide frictional engagement with the ExpressCard slot tomaintain the adapter securely within the slot. The side rails are alsoconfigured to disable (i.e., render ineffective) any ejector mechanismswhich may be provided within the ExpressCard slot. Thus, the adapterassembly operates as a “set-it-and-forget-it” device, in that, onceinserted into the ExpressCard slot, memory cards may be inserted andremoved while the adapter remains positioned in the slot and requires noaction or attention by the user.

The user may manually remove the adapter assembly by pulling on thefinger grip positioned outside the ExpressCard slot upon insertion ofthe adapter assembly into the slot. The tongue is provided for rigidlyconnecting the adapter to the finger grip. The tongue is preferablyrigid to transmit an insertion force exerted on the finger grip to theadapter to allow complete insertion of the first interface around theExpressCard slot interface connector.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional ExpressCard adjacent anExpressCard slot of a host computing device.

FIG. 2 is a top view of a memory card according to embodiments of thepresent invention for use with an ExpressCard slot.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a memory card according to embodiments of thepresent invention for use with an ExpressCard slot.

FIG. 4 is an end view of a memory card according to embodiments of thepresent invention for use with an ExpressCard slot.

FIG. 5 is a top view of an adapter according to embodiments of thepresent invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an adapter according to embodiments ofthe present invention.

FIG. 7 is an end view of an adapter according to embodiments of thepresent invention.

FIG. 8 is a side view of an adapter according to embodiments of thepresent invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an adapter according to the presentinvention and a memory card for use therewith adjacent an ExpressCardslot of a host computing device.

FIG. 10 is side cross-sectional view of an ExpressCard slot within ahost computing device including an adapter according to embodiments ofthe present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments will now be described with reference to FIGS. 2 through 10,which relate to an adapter for a memory card slot and a method ofconfiguring a memory card slot. It is understood that the presentinvention may be embodied in many different forms and should not beconstrued as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather,these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thoroughand complete and will fully convey the invention to those skilled in theart. Indeed, the invention is intended to cover alternatives,modifications and equivalents of these embodiments, which are includedwithin the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the appendedclaims. Furthermore, in the following detailed description of thepresent invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order toprovide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, itwill be clear to those of ordinary skill in the art that the presentinvention may be practiced without such specific details.

Referring now to the top, side and end views of FIGS. 2-4 respectively,embodiments of the present invention relate to a memory card resemblinga CompactFlash card, but which is compatible with an ExpressCard slot.The memory card in embodiments may be 45 mm long, 34 mm wide and 4 mmthick. In combination with the adapter assembly 100, describedhereinafter, the memory card may work within the ExpressCard slot aswould other conventional ExpressCard memory cards. However, when not inuse with the adapter assembly, the memory card has dimensions which areapproximately the same as a conventional CompactFlash card. Thus, usersaccustomed to the size, look and feel of a conventional CompactFlashcard may still use a card of approximately that size in their digitalcameras, video cameras or other devices, while at the same time availingthemselves of the advantages that the ExpressCard interface has tooffer.

As seen in FIGS. 2-4, memory card 130 may include a lip 132 at its rearedge serving at least two functions. A first function is to prevent amemory card 130 from being inserted into the ExpressCard slot in theabsence of the adapter assembly 100. In particular, memory card 130 hasa smaller length and height than the ExpressCard slot. If memory card130 were allowed to be inserted into the slot in the absence of adapterassembly 100, the card may get lost within the slot. By providing lip132 with a height at least as great as the height of the ExpressCardslot, e.g., greater than 5 mm, the lip prevents memory card 130 fromgetting lost within the ExpressCard slot. A second function of lip 132is to provide a grip for a user to pull card 130 out of the ExpressCardslot.

Memory card 130 may further include side rails 136 which prevent memorycard 130 from being inserted up-side-down within the ExpressCard slot.In embodiments, memory card 130 may also have an LED 138 for indicatingwhen data transfer is occurring to and from memory card 130.

Through the adapter assembly 100 explained below, the memory card 130may be compatible with the ExpressCard standard, and still have the lookand feel of a CompactFlash card. It is understood that the adapterassembly and memory card of the present invention may operate accordingto standards other than the ExpressCard standard. The adapter assemblymay allow compatibility between a memory card slots of various sizes andmemory cards not specified for use with those memory card slots.

Referring now to the top, perspective, end and side views of FIGS. 5-8,respectively, there is shown an adapter assembly 100 for use incombination with memory card 130 within a standard ExpressCard slot suchas shown in prior art FIG. 1. Adapter assembly 100 generally includes anadapter 102, a tongue 104 and a finger grip 106. Each of thesecomponents is explained in greater detail below.

Adapter 102 includes a first interface 110 at a front of the adapterassembly 100 including female electrical connectors for mating with pinswithin a standard ExpressCard slot. In embodiments, interface 110 willbe configured to receive the standard, 26 pin, beam-on blade styleconnector used in the ExpressCard slot. As explained hereinafter, it iscontemplated that the adapter assembly 100 may be used in other types ofcard slots which may include other types of interface connectors at afront of the adapter in alternative embodiments.

Adapter 102 further includes an interface 112 at a back of the adapter102 including male connectors for mating with and electrically couplingto one of a variety of memory card formats. In one embodiment, interface112 may be configured to mate with memory card 130, having dimensions of45 mm long, 34 mm wide and 4 mm thick. For such an application,interface 112 may employ a standard connector, such as the connectorused in the ExpressCard slot used for 5 mm thick memory cards, but whichhas been modified to be thinner so as to operate with a 4 mm thick card.The interface 112 may resemble a standard 5 mm connector in all otherrespects, such as the number and type of pin contacts and the contactforce established by the pin contacts. In alternative embodiments, theadapter assembly 100 according to the present invention may operate withmemory cards other than memory card 130, such as for example aCompactFlash memory card, a Secure Digital memory card, or a variety ofother standard cards. In such embodiments, interface 112 may be astandard connector for interfacing with these cards.

Adapter 102 further includes a housing 114 extending between interfaces110 and 112. Housing 114 may have a length of approximately 30 mm, awidth standard for ExpressCard slots of 34 mm, and a height standard forExpressCard slots of 5 mm. The length of housing 114 may vary inalternative embodiments and the width and height may vary to match anychange in the ExpressCard slot standard. Housing 114 may have anexterior surface formed of metal, or a plastic or other polymer. As seenfor example in the end view of FIG. 7, the interior of housing 114 maybe substantially empty except for a plurality of leads connectingrespective electrical connections from interface 110 to interface 112.Thus, when adapter assembly 100 is plugged into an ExpressCard slot, amemory card connected to interface 112 may exchange signals with thehost device in the same manner as if the memory card were connecteddirectly to the host device.

Housing 114 may further include partial side rails 116 a and 116 b alongboth edges of housing 114. Partial side rails 116 a, 116 b serve atleast four functions. First, side rails 116 a, 116 b mate withinchannels provided in the ExpressCard slot to provide a sturdy, precisionfeel to a user inserting the adapter assembly 100 into the card slot andremoving assembly 100 from the slot. Side rails 116 a, 116 b may alsoprevent the assembly 100 from being inserted up-side-down within theExpressCard slot.

Third, side rails 116 a and 116 b frictionally engage the channelswithin the ExpressCard slot to securely hold adapter assembly 100 withinthe ExpressCard slot at all times other than intentional removal ofadapter assembly 100. It is contemplated that the frictional engagementpressure between side rails 116 a and 116 b may be increased inembodiments to be greater than that between an ExpressCard memory cardand the ExpressCard slot. In such embodiments, side rails 116 a and/or116 b may be made wider or thicker than is known in conventionalExpressCard memory cards to thereby increase the frictional engagement.In a further embodiment, one or more bumps or raised sections may beprovided along the otherwise uniform side rails 116 a and/or 116 b toincrease frictional engagement of rails 116 a, 116 b with theExpressCard slot.

A fourth function of side rails 116 a and 116 b is to defeat the ejectormechanisms conventionally provided in all ExpressCard slots. Asdiscussed in the Background of the Invention section, conventionalExpressCard slots include either ejector buttons or push-push mechanismsfor ejecting ExpressCard memory cards from the slot. However, inembodiments of the present invention, it is desirable to allow“set-it-and-forget-it” functionality for adapter assembly 100. That is,it is desirable to allow a user to insert adapter assembly 100 into anExpressCard slot, and thereafter allow the user to insert and removememory cards without any additional actions or attention required by theuser to adapter assembly 100. As such, side rails 116 a, 116 b areconfigured to disable (i.e., render ineffective) ejector mechanismsprovided within an ExpressCard slot.

In order to disable ExpressCard slot ejector mechanisms, side rails 116a, 116 b are provided with a length sufficient to allow sturdy insertionand removal as well as frictional engagement with the ExpressCard slot,but also terminate short of the front section of adapter 102. Inparticular, as best seen in FIGS. 5, 6 and 8, side rails 116 a, 116 bextend from a back portion of housing 114 but terminate short of thefront end of the adapter 102. Conventional ejector mechanisms operate byengaging portions of the front of an ExpressCard memory card. Byterminating side rails 116 a, 116 b short of the front of adapter 102,there is no portion of the adapter assembly which may be engaged by theejector mechanisms in a conventional ExpressCard slot. Termination ofthe side rails 116 a, 116 b prevents engagement of the assembly 100 witha cantilever in a conventional push button-type ejector mechanism, andtermination of the side rails 116 a, 116 b prevents engagement of theassembly 100 with the translating tab in a conventional push-pushejector mechanism.

As some ExpressCard slots may have their ejector mechanisms on the leftside and some on the right side, both side rails 116 a and 116 bterminate before the front of adapter 102 to defeat the ejectormechanism whether it is located on the left or right side of the cardslot. However, for example where an adapter assembly 100 is going to beused within card slots having the ejector mechanism always on the sameside, the side rail on that side may terminate short of the front of theadapter, and the side rail on the opposite side may extend all the wayto the front of the adapter in alternative embodiments.

In embodiments, side rails 116 a and 116 b are long enough to ensure asturdy insertion/removal and frictional engagement of the adapterassembly with the host slot, but are short enough to defeat the ejectormechanism as described above. In embodiments, side rails 116 a, 116 bmay have a length from the back of housing 114 of between 20 mm and 10mm, and in further embodiments, between 18 mm and 15 mm. It isunderstood that the length of side rails 116 a and 116 b may be shorteror longer than the ranges set forth above in alternative embodiments, aslong as they fulfill the above-described objectives for side rails 116 aand 116 b.

Tongue 104 may be integrally formed or otherwise attached to adapter102. The tongue 104 may be formed of a rigid material such as forexample metal, plastic or other polymer, and may be the same material asor different from the material of housing 114. In embodiments, tongue104 may have a length of 45 mm so as to extend from adapter 102 to thefront opening of the ExpressCard slot. Thus, the adapter 102 and tongue104 together extend the entire 75 mm length of a standard ExpressCardslot. The width of tongue 104 may be the width of the ExpressCard slot,e.g., 34 mm. It is understood that the width of tongue 104 need notextend across the entire width of the ExpressCard slot and may be lessthan 34 mm in further embodiments.

The thickness of tongue 104 may for example be 1 mm. As explainedhereinafter, a memory card 130 is received within the ExpressCard sloton top of tongue 104. Accordingly, the combined thickness of tongue 104and the memory card 130 must be less than or equal to the height of anExpressCard slot, e.g., 5 mm. In embodiments where a memory card isprovided having a thickness less than 4 mm, the thickness of tongue 104may be greater than 1 mm. Alternatively, it is understood that tongue104 may be thinner than 1 mm in alternative embodiments, with theprovision that tongue 104 have sufficient rigidity to transmit aninsertion force exerted on grip 106 as explained below.

In the embodiments described above, the tongue 104 is provided beneaththe memory card 130. In further embodiments of the present invention, itis understood that the tongue may be configured to cover two, three orall four sides of a memory card and be used within an ExpressCard slot.For example, tongue 104 may be a continuation of the housing 114 and thetwo may extend the full length of the ExpressCard slot. In such anembodiment, a back end of tongue 104 may have an opening for receiving amemory card. Such a memory card may be inserted into the tongue andengage with interface 112 as described above.

Adapter assembly 100 may be inserted into an ExpressCard slot one of twoways. In a first insertion configuration, the adapter assembly 100 maybe inserted into an ExpressCard slot without a memory card affixedthereto. In such an insertion configuration, a user slides the front endof the adapter assembly 100 into the ExpressCard slot, and then pusheson finger grip 106 to bring interface 110 into full engagement with theconnector pins within the ExpressCard slot. In such an insertionconfiguration, tongue 104 must have sufficient rigidity to translate theinsertion force exerted on grip 106 to the front interface 110 withoutbuckling.

In a second insertion configuration, a memory card may be affixed ontoadapter assembly 100 by seating male connectors of interface 112 withinthe female connectors of the memory card 130. Upon affixing a memorycard 130 to adapter assembly 100, the adapter assembly 100 and memorycard 130 together have a form factor of a conventional ExpressCardmemory card. In the second insertion configuration, the joined adapterassembly and memory card may then together be inserted into theExpressCard slot.

It is understood that the rigidity of tongue 104 need not be as high inthe second insertion configuration as compared to the rigidity of thetongue 104 necessary in the first insertion configuration. Inparticular, in the second insertion configuration, the memory card maylargely prevent buckling of the tongue 104. While it may be desirable toprovide tongue 104 with rigidity sufficient to handle both the first andsecond insertion configurations, embodiments of the invention mayinclude a tongue having rigidity sufficient to operate with only thesecond insertion configuration.

Finger grip 106 is affixed to tongue 104 and protrudes from the frontopening of the memory card slot when the adapter assembly 100 is fullyinserted within the slot. Grip 106 is provided for removal, and, inembodiments, insertion of adapter assembly 100. As explained above, theadapter assembly 100 is a set-it-and-forget-it device which does not getdisplaced upon insertion or removal of a memory card. However, when auser desires, the user may remove the adapter assembly 100 from theExpressCard slot by grasping the finger grip 106 and manually pullingthe adapter assembly 100 out of the slot. Also, as explained above, grip106 may be held by a user to insert adapter assembly 100 into the fullyengaged position within the ExpressCard slot.

Grip 106 may be formed to various sizes and of various materials,including for example rubber, metal, plastic or other polymers. Inembodiments, grip 106 will have an upper surface level with an uppersurface of tongue 104 so that grip 106 does not interfere with a memorycard being coupled to adapter assembly 100. When adapter assembly 100 isin use, grip 106 is the only portion of the assembly protruding from theExpressCard slot. Grip 106 may include a brand or other marking which isvisible while the adapter assembly is fully inserted within theExpressCard slot.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an adapter assembly 100 positionedadjacent to a slot 120 of a host device 122, which may for example be anotebook computer, a desktop computer or other computing device that mayinclude an ExpressCard slot. FIG. 9 further shows a memory card 130adjacent adapter assembly 100. As discussed above, in a first insertionconfiguration, the adapter assembly 100 may be inserted by itself intoslot 120, and thereafter the card 130 inserted into the slot. In asecond insertion configuration, memory card 130 may first be joined toadapter assembly 100, and then the adapter assembly 100 and memory card130 inserted together into ExpressCard slot 120.

FIG. 10 shows a cross-sectional side view of host device 122 with theadapter assembly 100 seated within the ExpressCard slot 120. As seen inFIG. 10, adapter assembly 100 effectively converts an ExpressCard slotinto a slot capable of operating with memory cards of shorter lengththan conventional ExpressCard memory cards. In the embodiments describedabove, adapter 102 has a length of 30 mm and memory card 130 has alength of 45 mm. However, it is understood that the respective lengthsof adapter 102 and memory card 130 may vary, but together they equal thelength of slot 120 e.g., 75 mm. Moreover, in embodiments where adapterassembly 100 and card 130 are used in slots other than an ExpressCardslot, it is understood that the combined length of the adapter assembly100 and card 130 may be less than or greater than 75 mm.

When card 130 is pulled out of the slot 120, for example by lip 132, africtional engagement force between side rails 116 a and 116 b and therespective channels in slot 120 is greater than the frictionalengagement force between the connectors of interface 112 and the femaleconnector of memory card 130. Accordingly, when card 130 is pulled out,adapter assembly 100 remains securely within its affixed position inExpressCard slot 120. In an alternative embodiment, it is furtherunderstood that a locking mechanism as is known in the art may beincluded as part of, or to operate with, adapter assembly 100 to lockthe adapter assembly 100 within the ExpressCard slot 120.

As discussed above, the lip 132 on card 130 may be used to pull the cardout of the slot 120. However, in further embodiments of the presentinvention, a push-push mechanism as described above or otherwise may bemounted to a side portion of housing 114, such as for example as partof, or within, one of side rails 116 a or 116 b. In such embodiments,the memory card 130 may be locked within and ejected from slot 120 bythe push-push mechanism while the adapter assembly 100 remains in afixed position within slot 120.

The foregoing detailed description of the invention has been presentedfor purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to beexhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Manymodifications and variations are possible in light of the aboveteaching. The described embodiments were chosen in order to best explainthe principles of the invention and its practical application to therebyenable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention invarious embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of theinvention be defined by the claims appended hereto.

1. An adapter of a memory card for use with an ExpressCard slot, comprising: a memory card having size that is not compatible with a size of an ExpressCard slot; and an adaptor assembly configured for adapting a memory card for use within an ExpressCard slot as the memory card has a physical configuration incompatible with the ExpressCard slot, the adapter assembly including: an adapter having a first interface for connecting to the ExpressCard slot and a second interface for connecting to the memory card; a finger grip, spaced from the adapter, for being gripped by a user in order to remove the adapter assembly from the ExpressCard slot; and a tongue rigidly connected between the adapter and finger grip, the memory card configured to mate with the second interface while positioned over the tongue.
 2. The adaptor recited in claim 1, further comprising a lip on a back end of the memory card, the lip having a height of at least 5 mm for preventing the memory card from being completely inserted within the ExpressCard slot.
 3. The adaptor recited in claim 1, further comprising an LED on a back end of the memory card for indicating data exchange to and from the memory card.
 4. A portable memory assembly, comprising: a memory card; and an adapter assembly for allowing the memory card to operate within an ExpressCard slot, the adapter assembly including: an adapter including a first interface for connecting to the ExpressCard slot and a second interface for connecting to the memory card, and a finger grip, spaced from and affixed to the adapter, for being gripped by a user in order to remove the adapter assembly from the memory card slot, wherein the adapter assembly is devoid of structure which may be engaged by an ejector mechanism within the memory card slot to allow insertion and removal of the first memory card without displacing the adapter assembly.
 5. The memory card recited in claim 4, wherein the memory card has dimensions approximating that of a CompactFlash card, the memory card configured for use within the ExpressCard slot.
 6. The memory card recited in claim 4, wherein the memory card has a length of approximately 45 mm, a width of approximately 34 mm and a height of approximately 4 mm.
 7. The memory card recited in claim 4, further comprising a lip on a back end of the memory card having a height capable of preventing the memory card from being completely inserted within the ExpressCard slot.
 8. The memory card recited in claim 7, further comprising an LED on a back end of the memory card for indicating data exchange to and from the memory card.
 9. A portable memory assembly, comprising: a memory card having a length smaller than 75 mm; and an adapter assembly for allowing the memory card to operate within an ExpressCard slot, the adapter assembly including: an adapter including a first interface for connecting to the ExpressCard slot and a second interface for connecting to the memory card, a finger grip, spaced from the adapter, for being gripped by a user in order to remove the adapter assembly from the ExpressCard slot, and a tongue rigidly connected between the adapter and finger grip.
 10. The memory card recited in claim 9, wherein the memory card has dimensions approximating that of a CompactFlash card, the memory card configured for use within the ExpressCard slot.
 11. The memory card recited in claim 9, wherein the memory card has a length of approximately 45 mm, a width of approximately 34 mm and a height of approximately 4 mm.
 12. The memory card recited in claim 9, further comprising a lip on a back end of the memory card having a height capable of preventing the memory card from being completely inserted within the ExpressCard slot.
 13. The memory card recited in claim 9, further comprising an LED on a back end of the memory card for indicating data exchange to and from the memory card. 